Hey Doc:
I tested Poz in '94, had PCP Pneumonia in '95 and Shingles in '99 and at this point TOTALLY RESISTANT to ANY treatment regime. I am worried? NO!

I made peace with myself in '95 and do not fear the next phase in my non-caporeal life. I know my life is helping with experimental treatments and I'm profoundly greatful to all people involved in finding the 'cure' for HIV. How come I haven't been deathly ill since '95? Although my current t-cells are 10 and my v/l is 196,000, I DONT CARE! I just continue on my current regiment and live my life without fretting daily over my predicament. I fully trust the experts. As morbid as it may sound, HIV SAVED MY LIFE! I was messed up and suicidal before HIV but that changed and I sought the necessary mental and physical venues to keep me alive.

WELL HERE I AM, continually amazing my doc that I am NOT deathly ill....I have a "mind over matter" attitude and take each day I live and cherish it as if it is my last and following my Deist belief in God to survive. My purpose(fate) on this planet was to be there at the right time for my friends and family and to be available for experimentation to help find the cure for HIV.

My HIV attitude is still, "OH Well!"(I do live a "protected" and informed life.)

LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH

Thank you all for your dilligence!

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to write in and share your story and personal insights. "Living with AIDS" is certainly a far more "positive" attitude than dying from AIDS. BRAVO.

By the way, despite your assertion of being resistant to all treatments, it's worth noting that new and very novel therapies have recently been approved, such a CCR5 inhibitor, an integrase inhibitor, a new NNRTI and a new PI. Be sure to discuss these potential new options with your HIV specialist. In addition, as you mention, there are also clinical trials ongoing looking at additional new and novel approaches to kick HIV's butt!

Thanks again for writing in and personally demonstrating that optimism is indeed a powerful therapy when confronting any challenge.

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